The Livelong Newsletter
Issue 22 | August 30, 2024
Hi Everyone,
🍂 It’s almost fall, which means an abundance of apples, the occasional pumpkin spice latte, and cinnamon—or dare I say the star of fall?
Cinnamon is antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and reduces risk of cardiovascular and (possibly) neurological disorders, according to the literature.
The most nutritious type of cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon.
In today’s issue:
The oxygen-focused celebrity health trend.
Cognitively-enhanced tai chi.
Instant golden milk.
And more.
We love to hear from you—our community. Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas, and more with us at info@livelongmedia.com.
WISDOM FOR LIFE
“Nurturing yourself is not selfish – it’s essential to your survival and your well-being.”
👁️🗨️SPOTLIGHT
Celebrities are touting the health benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Traditionally, hyperbaric oxygen therapy treats decompression sickness from scuba diving.
What do singer Justin Bieber, Olympian Michael Phelps, and former Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik have in common?
🫁 They use hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), according to a recent report.
Bieber and Bialik are outspoken about the health benefits, using it to reduce stress and inflammation, respectively.
How does HBOT work? A person breathes 100% pure oxygen in a chamber with a greater pressure than sea level.
Pressure helps the oxygen to enter the body more effectively, according to Mayo Clinic.
🤿 It’s currently used to treat decompression sickness from scuba diving, non-healing diabetes-related wounds, and infection, Mayo Clinic writes.
Why it matters: It may increase longevity and target the hallmarks of aging, according to a 2023 paper.
In preclinical and clinical studies, it has shown promise in reducing age-related issues such as cognitive decline, skin aging, slowed metabolism, and bone and muscle loss, the authors of the paper write.
NUTRITION
Instant golden milk for more benefits
Golden (turmeric) milk is beloved for its soft yellow hue, earthy taste, and many health benefits.
Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered a new method to make golden milk even more nutritious and antioxidant-rich than the original beverage—by turning it into an instant powder.
🥛🌄 Golden milk is a popular and nutritious turmeric-based beverage derived from haldi doodh, a traditional Indian cold remedy.
Behind the science
Researchers add turmeric powder to a high-pH (alkaline) solution—this makes the curcumin (a highly anti-inflammatory polyphenol found in turmeric) easier to extract.
They then add amino acid-rich soy milk to this solution. Soy milk makes curcumin easier to absorb in the body.
Finally, they neutralize the solution for taste and freeze-dry it into a healthy instant golden milk powder.
Why this matters: The principle of using pH to extract nutrients could potentially be applied to other plant compounds to create more healthy foods.
☕ Yum! Ceylon cinnamon would be the perfect healthy addition to golden milk.
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
Americans can learn a lot from Australians about high lifespan
Australia ranks the highest in life expectancy among high-income English-speaking countries, while the U.S. has ranked lowest for more than 30 years, according a comparative study published in BMJ Open.
Why is life expectancy in the Down Under above the U.S.?
It’s a combination of healthier lifestyle habits (less smoking, drug, and alcohol use), lower youth mortality (from gun violence, car accidents, drugs), reduced geographical inequalities, and a capital ‘G’ great healthcare system, including:
Access to cancer screenings, treatment, and vaccinations.
Quality systems for chronic disease management.
Policies that promote healthy lifestyle behaviors and healthcare performance.
“Australia is a model for how Americans can do better,” said Jessica Ho, associate professor of sociology and demography at Penn State and senior author of the study.
Other stories:
Getting rid of cancer-causing toxin in corn with this new sterilization technique.
No inflammatory bowel disease case is the same; treatment shouldn’t be either.
Stem cells explained in 2 minutes.
Longevity protein lactoferrin is unsustainable. This alternative is.
These popular herbal supplements could cause liver damage.
POLL RESULTS
Do you take dietary supplements?
Livelong founder Brad Inman created a social media poll to discover your supplement regimen.
Your answer:
None (28%)
One (9%)
Two to five (44%)
Too many to count (18%)
Are you surprised? Let us know at info@livelongmedia.com.
FITNESS
Experimental form of tai chi could prevent cognitive decline
Tai chi supports quiet strength, mobility, and cognition.
A new method of tai chi can improve cognition in older adults with memory issues, according to a recent study funded by the National Institute of Aging.
Cognitively enhanced tai chi combines mental activities with physical tai chi movements (i.e., doing tai chi while spelling words in different orders).
In the recent study, researchers compared the cognitive benefits of stretching, traditional tai chi, and enhanced tai chi in patients with mild cognitive decline.
🧠 Enhanced tai chi improved cognition significantly more than stretching and traditional tai chi.
🚶 Both forms of tai chi improved dual-task walking score (a marker of age-related cognitive change) more than stretching.
↘️ This may eventually be used to prevent cognitive decline.
Traditional tai chi is a “moving meditation” with Chinese origins that is widely performed all around the world.
LIVE MORE
Starting tai chi? Start with this short beginner’s class.
CrossFit competitor. Tai chi could be as good for your health as CrossFit.
Tai chi reduces blood pressure—a new smart watch does too.
LONG-LEVITY
Soccer fans are learning to save lives at Europe’s largest tournament
At EURO 2024—one of the largest soccer (football) tournaments—38,000 fans from around the world left Germany, the host city, with good memories and CPR certification.
CPR certification was part of the ‘Get Trained, Save Lives’ campaign, which was started by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the European Resuscitation Council.
The campaign goal is to raise public awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and stresses the importance of CPR training as a bystander.
→💪 Soccer players and match officials also got in on the action, joining fans to practice CPR on manikins which measure chest compressions and compare data in the form of a computer game.
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🔔 One more thing: Don’t forget to catch up on the last newsletter
We cover the restorative and life-extending technologies being incorporated into well-known spas.
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About Livelong
Our goal is to provide you with credible and actionable information about health and longevity so you can live a longer and healthier life and guide you toward making insightful decisions that support you during your health and longevity journey.
Have feedback for us? Email us at info@livelongmedia.com. We’d love to hear from you!